This evening I stumbled across how to use Google Maps to determine GPS coordinates.

I did it by doing something I had never done in years of clicking the Link button on a Google Map - I actually read the link. Usually I'm busy getting the link to put into an entry in the blog. I never read the jumble of letters for heaven's sake! I'm right in the middle of trying to get something done dammit.

But this time I stopped long enough to look at it - which comes dangerously close to proof reading.

As I did, it dawned on me that some numbers in the middle of the link looked similar to GPS coordinates. Could it be? After a minute or two of copy and paste activity, I had my Duh-Oh! moment. They ARE coordinates! Who knew?

Well actually, I bet a lot people know. It's probably another example of the rest of world way out in front of me and I'm back here in the mountains of Vermont sucking wind.

Go to maps.google.com, enter an address in the search bar and click Enter

On the next page, right click the red balloon on the map. In the popup, click the last item, Center Map Here. (Or right click elsewhere on the map if the red balloon is not where you want the coordinates.)

In the upper right part of the blue bar, click Link.

In the window under "Paste link in email or IM" you will see what looks like a tragic explosion in a type setting shop:

'Bout two thirds of the way through all that are the letters UTF8&ll and then the = sign. The numbers immediately following the = sign . . . 44.295457, -72.771957 . . . are the coordinates for my inn at 94 Pine Street, Duxbury, Vermont, the street address I entered in the Google Maps search window back in step 1.

You will probably notice that some other numbers in the Link code are coordinates. You are correct. It's weird but the first is for Coffeeville Kansas and second is, I kid you not, Baghin Iran. What's going on with that, I have no idea. And I really don't have time to mess around with it now but I'd love to some other time.

At any rate, if you ever need coordinates for your travels, that's how you can use Google Maps to help. Give it a try and email me to let me know how it works out for y'all.